A Stop Horseracing Article from All-Creatures.org

There Are Simply No Words for This Amount of Cruelty and Destruction

FROM HorseracingWrongs.org
August 2024

"I'm free was two years old... Dove at Dawn was two years old... Malibu was five years old... February was six years old..."

Through a FOIA request to the Kentucky Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks thus far this year (this is part 1, part 2 tomorrow). Please note that practically every horse below died with stomach ulceration.

I’m Free, Jan 5, Churchill T
“Horse was breezing and [suffered] an open, comminuted fracture and [multiple] torn ligaments.” I’m Free was two years old.

yet-to-be-named 2-year-old, Jan 13, HighPointe Training Center S
“External protrusion of small intestine during castration.” Two years old.

Dove At Dawn, Jan 30, Turfway T
“Horse was breezing when it suffered a catastrophic injury to LH limb: open, comminuted condylar fracture, with multiple missing fragments; additional fractures of the sesamoid and phalanx; deep digital flexor frayed; tearing of the suspensory ligament, with small bone fragments embedded.” Also: previous fracture/surgery/screw in a different leg. Dove was just two years old.

Izzit Midnight, Feb 2, Keeneland T
“[Horse] was breezing when it abruptly pulled up lame: comminuted fracture; tearing of the superficial and deep digital flexors; rupture of the intersesamoidian ligament; tearing of the suspensory ligament, collateral ligaments of the fetlock, and the straight, oblique, and cruciate sesamoidian ligaments.” Izzit was two years old.

Dreamers Luck, Feb 20, Churchill T
“Horse was breezing when it sustained a complete, comminuted fracture to LH limb. After loading on ambulance, horse became recumbent and was euthanized.” Dreamers was just two years old.

yet-to-be-named 2-year-old, Feb 22, Turfway T
“Horse was galloping and stumbled. Rider pulled the horse up and horse was non-weight bearing: complete, displaced fracture of the humerus.” Again, just two years old.

Malibu Time, Mar 27, Turfway R (euth Mar 28)
“Patient developed acute, severe lameness in evening following race: complete, comminuted, displaced fracture; extensive soft tissue damage [that] includes tearing of the deep and superficial digital flexor tendons, rupture of the intersesamoidian ligament, and tearing of the suspensory ligament, the medial and lateral branches of the suspensory, the medial and lateral collateral ligaments, and the oblique and straight sesamoidian ligaments.” Malibu was five years old.

Dram Fast, Apr 5, Keeneland T
“Mare was working when she stumbled and fell: complete, comminuted, displaced fracture; tearing of muscles; large amount of hemorrhage.” Dram was six years old.

Joyflwariorprincss, Apr 5, Turfway T (euth May 7)
“Chronic septic hock from previous laceration which resulted in laminitis in all four limbs. Laminitis [included] lamina detachment, rotation, and [in one leg] prolapse through the sole.” The necropsy report went on to say: “The filly is emaciated, weighing 390 kg, with scant visceral fat stores, light muscling, marked prominence of the axial skeleton, and pressure sores over the shoulders, elbows, tuber coxa, femurs, and stifles.” Oh how this poor girl, just three, suffered.

February Son, Apr 19, Keeneland R
“Horse appeared to lose its action in its hind end, collapsed, and slid through the safety rail. On exam, the horse was motionless, with an open [through skin], comminuted radius fracture. The horse never appeared to be conscious.” February was six years old.

Coltonator, Apr 21, Keeneland T
“Horse was training when the saddle slipped and the stirrup broke. The saddle was displaced causing significant [damage] to [three limbs]: torn fragments of the tendon sheath visible; flexor retinaculum torn; tearing and hemorrhage within the deep digital flexor tendon; severe tearing and fraying of the superficial flexor tendon; near complete severing of the SDF.” Coltonator was eight years old.

Hercules, Jun 7, Churchill R
“Horse pulled up with catastrophic injury to RF fetlock: [multiple] comminuted fractures; tearing of the superficial and deep digital tendons, the medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the fetlock, the medial and lateral branches of the suspensory, and the straight and oblique sesamoidian ligaments; rupture of the intersesamoidian ligament.” Hercules was six years old.

Cash Only, Jun 16, Churchill T
“Horse was galloping when the rider felt the horse go bad: markedly comminuted, biarticular fracture of the second phalanx.” Cash was three years old.

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: August 7, 2024
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